Carburetor



Oct. 9, 1934. G, L. KENNEDY 1,975,793

CARBURETOR Original Filed Jan. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l NVENTOR Guy Z. KEN/v50) ATTORNEY Oct. 9, 1934. G. KENNEDY CARBURETOR Original Filed Jan. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet III llllH:

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l6 IIIIIIIIA u INVENTOR Q9 L. lfE/VA/ED y BY 7% ffhalz ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1934 STATES CARBURETOR Guy L. Kennedy, New York, N. Y., assignor to Ken-Grip Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application January 5, 1925, Serial No.

688. Divided and this application August 13,

1925, Serial No. 49,966.

10 Claims.

' This invention relates to improvements in carburetors; especially carburetors to produce an explosive motive'agent for internal combustion engines. 6 An object of the invention is to provide a car buretor which is capable of vaporizing to the maximum extent afuel in liquid form by the action of a current of air; the result being a motive agent of uniform composition, perfectly dry, and rich in the ingredients that can be converted upon ignition into heat and power.

A further object of my invention is to provide a carburetor having a, valve for admitting air and a valve for admitting fuel, the two valves being connected to operate in unison to effect vaporization of the fuel in the most advantageous manner.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the description below, and 20 the characteristics of my invention are defined inthe appended claims. But, while only one form in which the features of my invention are embodied, is set forth herein, 1 may of course vary the mechanical structure by which my invention is practiced, without departing from the principles by which my invention is distinguished.

On the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a carburetor according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan thereof;

Figure 3 is a side View of the same;

Figure 4 is an opposite side view;

Figure 5 is a side view of a form of valve for controlling the air supplied to a carburetor according to my invention;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section therethrough; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the hydrocarbon injector of the carburetor.

The same numerals identify the same parts throughout.

- Thisapplication is a division of my application for a patent upon improvements in carburetors, Serial No. 688, filed January 5th, 1925. I In detail, a carburetor according to my invention comprises a casing-1, which may be cylindrical in shape, with open ends, and a longitudinalbore 2 extending through it. This casing will beattached at one extremity to the manifold which leads to inlet valves of the engine for which the carburetor is intended. Penetrating the wall of thecasing at a suitable point is a gasoline injector '3; and air is admitted to the bore 2 by way of openings 4 in the sides of the Renewed April 15,

casing. The quantity of the air so admitted is regulated, and the most advantageous action thereof is secured by means of a tubular member or valve 5, which slides up and down in the bore 2 under the control of a cam 6, mounted upon a rotatable shaft 7, in bearings at opposite sides of the casing. This valve 5 has openings 40. in its sides which are always in registry with the openings 4, and enough air can always enter the interior of the casing 1 and valve 5 to take up and diffuse the fuel, such as gasoline, or other inflammable substance, which is supplied by the injector 3. The valve 5 is held downby the earn 6, but rises under the influence of suction exerted upon it by the engine. The injector 3 is supported by having screwthreaded engagement with the bore of a boss 8 at one side of the casing; and the outer end of the injector is enlarged to provide a shoulder 9, which abuts the extremity of the boss, and thus makes a good joint. Inside of the injector is a duct or channel 10; and adjacent the shoulder 9 this channel is enlarged and threaded internally as at 11, to couple with a conduit 12, which leads from the gasoline tank, and has a bore 13 which communicates with the bore 10. Thus gasoline, or any other volatile hydrocarbon, can flow from the tank to the injector 3. At its inner extremity the injector has a restricted outlet orifice 14, at the center of the bore 2.

Mounted on the inner end of the injector 3, is a tubular support 15, having a bore 16,'which receives the end of the injector. This support carries an expansion nozzle 17. In its proper position, this support 15 extends across the bore 2, and it has two alined apertures or ports, one leading to the smaller end ofv the nozzle 17, and the other in the side of the support 15 at a point diametrically opposite. The nozzle 17 and the two ports 18 are at the center of the bore 2, and the injector 3 delivers through its orifice 14 at the line of centers of the ports 18. In the support 15 is a small aperture or hole 19, registering with a hole 20 in the side of the injector leading to the duct 10. To vary the flow of gasoline, there is a valve or metering pin 21, with a needle point 22, projecting into the orifice l4; and this pin 21 is slidably mounted in a sleeve 23, that passes through a bearing- 24 on the opposite side of the casing 1, and likewise enters the support 15. The sleeve 23 has a flange or collar 25 at'its outer extremity abutting the bearing 24; and the outer end of the pin 21 projects out of the sleeve and is threaded as at 26 to receive an adjustable screw cap 27. A spring 28 encircles the bearing 24,

seating against both the casing 1 and the cap 27; and ordinarily tends to withdraw the valve 21.

Hence, when air enters the carburetor, gasoline delivered by injector 3 through the orifice 14, as the needle point 22 of the valve 21 is withdrawn, more or less, is carried through the upper port 18 into the spray expansion nozzle 17. As the gasoline flows through the duct 10 on its way to the orifice 14, it entrains some air through the registering apertures 19 and 20, and the gasoline in consequence appears at the orifice in the form of bubbles, the films of which are broken into fine particles and divided and disseminated by the current or air entering the nozzle 17. As illustrated'in Figure 1, the support 15 passes through the opposite sides of the valve 5 also, but does not prevent or interfere with the movement of this valve, as set forth hereinafter; and the shaft 7 carrying the cam 6 for controlling the valve 5 is located adjacent one end of the casing; while the expansion nozzle 17 is presented with its wider end towards the opposite or discharge extremity of the carburetor.

The valve 5 cooperates with the nozzle 17, and one extremity surrounds it. This extremity is conical and contracted as indicated at 29, with a central opening 30. The edge or periphery of this opening is separated from the rim of the mouth of the nozzle 17 by a narrow annular space 31. In the sides of this tubular valve 5, between the openings 4a, are longitudinal slots 32, through which the shaft 7 and the support 15 can pass, so that the valve 5 can move axially in'the bore I 2 as already stated. The opposite extremity of 36, which is engaged by the cam 6. The extremity of the valve 5 bearing the closure 33 thus completely shuts the adjacent end of the casing, and all air entering the carburetor must flow in through the openings 4, the corresponding cpenings 4a leading to the inside of the valve 5; and this air travels to the other end of the carburetor by way of the ports 18 and space 31.

On the shaft 7 at one side of the carburetor is an actuating arm 37, and this shaft also carries a fixed collar 38, abutting the adjacent bearing 39 for the shaft on the casing 1. Adjacent this bearing the casing has an external web 40, and the collar has a projection 41 to engage the web 40, which serves as a stop at the end of the rotation of the shaft actuating the cam 6 to pull down the valve 5 as far as it is designed to go,

and make the space'31 as small as possible. On the opposite side of the casing is a similar bearing 39 for the shaft 7, and abutting this bearing is a hub or sleeve 42, having a post 43 on top,

-{ and two-diverging downward extending arms 44 at the sides. The post 43 has a recess 45 which acts as a bearing to receive a pivot pin 46. Rigidly secured to this pin is an arc-shaped strip 47, to serve as a cam for a purpose to be men- 1 tionedlater; this cam being fastened to the pin if the bolts 48 are turned, either end of the strip can be drawn towards the adjacent arm 44, or pushed away from it. The cap 27 of the valve 21 for the gasoline makes contact with the rear face of the strip behind the pivot pin 46, and can be set as required. The bolts 48 are set to adjust the cam so that the end shown as the upper end in Figure 2, which is the end presented to the observer in Figure 1, and the end shown at the right in Figure 4, is farther from the side of the casing 1 than the other end of the strip. Therefore, the rotation of the shaft 7 by the movement of the arm 37 towards the observer in Figure 1; or counter-clockwise in Figure 4, will enable the spring 28 to open the valve 21 more and more, and permit greater quantities of gasoline bubbles to pass out through the orifice 14; while at the same time the cam 6, shown in broken lines in Figure 3, rotating clockwise, brings portions of shorter and shorter radii into line with the screw 35, and thus permits the valve 5 to move farther and farther upward.

This cam is described and defined in the claims of my application, Serial No. 694,791, filed February 24, 1924, which matured into Patent 1,548,- 043, issued Aug. 4, 1925.

In operation, if the cam 6 is set as shown in Figure 3, the annular space 31 will be practically eliminated, or be of minimum area only, because the valve 5 will be held down to its lower limit,

and the cam 47 will keep the valve 21in such position that only the minimum amount of gasoline can escape into the space or passage between the injector and the sleeve 23, in line with the two ports 18. In this position, the engine can idle only, and air entering by way of the openings 4 and 4a flows upward through ports 18' and nozzle 17. Air entrained with the gasoline through the openings 19 and 20 makes the gasoline escaping at the orifice 14 appear in the form of bubbles, and these bubbles are torn apart and the gasoline in the films thereof vaporized by air flowing past the orifice 14. The spray of gaseous fuel thus created flows through the nozzle 17, and continues as the shaft 6 is turned to allow the valve 5 to lift and open the space 31; and by the time the spray reaches the upper enlarged end of this nozzle, the mixture of air and finely divided gasoline encounters the annular jet of air blowing through the space 31. This jet attacks the spray from all sides and forces it towards the axis of the nozzle, further vaporizing and dividing the gasoline and thus carrying the process one step farther.

It will be observed that the cam 6 has such form that, as it rotates with the shaft, it will allow the valve 5 to move upward more and more, in exact ratio to the angular movement of the cam; See Figure 3. In other words, when the cam turns twenty-two and one half degrees from i its position in Figure 3, it allows the valve to move so that the space 31 is enlarged enough to permit, along with the openings 18, about one half as much air to pass through the carburetonas when the cam has moved forty-five degrees, and one fourth as much as when the cam 6 has moved ninety degrees, at which point the valve 5 will be opened fully. At the same time cam strip 47 is so set that the valve 21 will act in the same way to open a larger and larger portion of the orifice 14, and the gasoline supplied by the injector will also increase in accordance'with the degree of angular movement of the cam 47. Hence the gasoline and air increase or decrease together; and the composition of the explosive motive agent is plication,

substantially uniform, no matter whether much or little air and gasoline are admitted.

I do not claim in this case the details of the air controlling valve 5 and the gasoline valve 21; as these parts are claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 49,965 filed of even date herewith.

To carry further and consummate the vaporization, the upper end of the casing 1 is constructed to act upon the mixture in the same manner as the air flowing through the space 31. Therefore the upper end of the casing is provided with an extension 52 at one side, above the cam 47, andthe bore 2 adjacent this extension is enlarged to make an'annular shoulder 53, Above the shoulder '53 is another annular shoulder 54, and supported by thisshoulder 54 is a deflector element 55. The body of this element is of less diameter than the bore 2 between the shoulders 53 and 54, but it has a peripheral flange 56 at its upper end to rest upon the shoulder 54. The-element 55 terminates a little short of the shoulder 53, leaving a small annular port or space 31a thereat, similar to the space 31, and the element 55 will have a tapering bore or inside surface 5'7, which may be conical and contracts in an upward direction. Below the flange 56 a nd between it and the shoulder 53 there is anannular chamber 58 surrounding the element 55, and this chamber communicates with an air passage 59 in the extension 52. On top of this element 55 is placed a ring 60; and this ring supports a second deflector element 55, the ring being cut through at 61 to put the annular chamber surrounding the second element 55 into communication with a second passage 59 above the first. The two passages are separated by a horizontal partition 62. The top of the extension has an air inlet 63 leading to the upper passage 59, and

. the lower side of the extension has a similar inlet 63. Through these two inlets and the partition 62 extends a valve stem 64, carrying two valves 65, to close and open the inlets 63; and between the partition 62 and the lower valve 65 is a coiled spring 66 surrounding the stem 64, and acting normally to close the inlets63; Beneath the extension 52 is a head 67 on the stem 64, and this head is engaged by a nose 68 on the cam strip 4'7. v I

With this design, as the valve 5 is opened more and more, and the valve 21 likewise, the cam 68 will lift the stem 64 against the compression'of the spring 66. Hence air can enter the passages 59, and flow into the carburetor through the an- I nular spaces 31a and 31b at the lowerends of the elements 55. This air expands towards the axis of the bore 2, and attacks as before the mixture of air and gasoline on all sides coming from the nozzle .17. There may be as many elements 55 as desired, and when the air and gasoline leaves the carburetor, the vaporization is complete and a rich and efficient fuel is the result.

The portion of the structure of my carburetor for supplying auxiliary airis claimed in my ap- Serial No. 688, above mentioned. A spring 69 encircles the hub 42, and is fastened at one end to the casing and has its other end in a recess 70 in the hub, to act to hold the shaft 7 with cam 6 in the position shown in Figure 3, with the valves 21 and 65 shut; also the valve 5; that is, the space 31 too will be as nearly closed as possible.

In the lower inlet 63 a removable and adjustable seat '71 for the lower valve 65 may be threaded.

mediate points, between an idling and a high speed, without detriment to conditions for high speed or idling. Thus, one can regulate the gasoline to suit the varying requirements or different engines, and to obtain a satisfactory air-gasoline ratio in all cases. p

The usual vacuum in the'manifold of an internal combustion engine varies in direct ratio to the opening or closing of the airinlet valve,

or throttle. In a majority of-cases, this vacuum ranges from 20 inches of mercury displacement when the throttle valve is closed, to inchwhen the throttle is fully open. Clearly, a depression equivalent to 20 inches of mercury displacement will force a greater quantity of liquid through a fixed orifice, in a given time than will a depression of equivalent to but inch mercury displacement, and therefore, the normal vacuum cannot be relied upon to supply a steady and regular flow of gasoline to the carburetor.

If the injector 3 were exposed to this usual fluctuating vacuum, and the gasoline tank placed at a level below the carburetor, in every case a surplus of. gasoline will be in" evidence when the throttle or valve 5 is closed; and, if the gasoline level is more than 6 inches below the carburetor, no gasoline at all will be available when the throttle is fully open. In view of this fact, the usual fluctuating vacuum of a gasoline engine cannot be depended upon to supply the gasoline to a carburetor.

When the throttle is closed and the vacuum in the engine, manifold and carburetor is at its maximum of approximately 20 inches of mercury, the ingress of air at the holes 19 and 20 lessens the vacuum on the gasoline at the ports 18 in a limited degree, and if the air inlet ports 18 be approximately of an inch in diameter, the air stream rushing through them will reduce the vacuum to 3 inches of mercury displacement in the nozzle 17 and prevent this vacuum from in creasing in the nozzle 17, while the vacuum in other parts of the carburetor and in the manifold rises to and remains at 18 to 20 inches mercury displacement.

As the valve 5 rises to permit air to flow between the rim of the nozzle 17, and the edge of the opening 30,- there ensues a vacuum in the nozzle 17, by reason of the velocity of the an nular air stream passing inward and upward through the space 31, and this vacuum created in 'the'nozzle 17, does not vary as readily as in the remainderof the carburetor. Repeated laboratory tests show that as the valve 5 is elevated and more and more air is admitted, the vacuum'in the nozzle 1'7 remains approximately constant, while the vacuum decreases 'in all other parts of thedevice. s: Consequently, when the vacuum in thermanifold, and other portionsof the device,is at its minimum' of but /2 inch of mercury, it is fully maintained in the nozzle 17. This vacuum created by the air passing the rim of the nozzle 1'7 would reach down into the space between the ports 18, and increase the unbalanced pressure on the gasoline, but for the air entering this space, which breaks the pull in this case as in the former. Thus by proper control oi the air velocity, one may increase the vacuum in the nozzle 17, adjacent ports 18 to 3 inches and hold it steadily there at all throttle positions.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new and desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A carburetor having a casing, an injector for hydrocarbon extending transversely of the casing, a valve associated with the injector, a valve movable axially of the casing to control air admitted to the casing, said last-named valve being hollow, and having openings to receive the injector, and parts for causing movement of said valves to more or less open position,- the degree of opening of said air and hydrocarbon valves being in accordance with the movement of said parts, the injector having av controlling valve stem within and movable lengthwise of the injector;

2. A carburetor having a casing, an injector for hydrocarbon, a valve to control the l'iydrocarbon, a hollow air valve, and a pair of rotatable cams to control each of said valves to change the quan: tities of air and hydrocarbon admitted to the carburetor in accordance with the degree of angular movement of said cams, and means for so actuating the cams in unison.

3. A carburetor having a casing, an injector for hydrocarbon, a valve to regulate the hydrocarbon, a hollow air valve, rotatablercams to control each of said Valves to altar the quantites of air and hydrocarbon admitted to the carburetor in accordance with the angular movement of said cams, and means for so actuating the cams in unison.

4. A carburetor having a casing, an injector for hydrocarbon, a valve to regulate the hydrocarbon, an air valve, a rotatablecam for each valve to altar the quantities of air and hydrocarbon in accordance with the degree of angular movement of the cams, one or more elements to deflect the air and hydrocarbon towards the axis of the casing, said elementsbeing separated from the inside of the casing to provide chambers, each chamber having an outlet leading into the casing, additional valves for admitting air to said chambers, said additional valves being controlled by one of said cams, and means for so operating the cams -in unison.

5. A carburetor having 'a hydrocarbon injector with an air port to admit air to carry the hydrocarbon out of the injector in the form of bubbles,

; the carburetor also having an air passage across the end of the injector to vaporize said bubbles and prevent a high vacuum at the outlet of the injector, a vaporizing nozzle in line with said passage, and a movablevalve surrounding the nozzle and adapted to rest upon the rim thereof and be moved away from said rim to provide for the admission of air around said to promote the vaporization, and increase the minimum normal vacuum in, the said nozzle, the carburetor also having annular inletsbeyond the nozzle to admit air to deflect the air and hydrocarbon mixture toward the axis' of said-casing and insure the utmost commingling thereof with air, to make an inflammable product.

6. A carburetor having a casing, an injector for hydrocarbon, a valve to regulate the hydrocarbon, an air valve, a cam for each valve to alter the quantities of air and hydrogen in exact proportion to the degree of angular movement of the cams, while maintaining a constant ratio between t with a port to admit air to force the hydrocarbon out of the injector in the form of bubbles, the carburetor also having a passage across the end of the injector to vaporize said bubbles and reduce the maximum normal vacuum on the injector, a vaporizing nozzle in line with said passage, and a movable valve surrounding the nozzle and adapted to rest .upon the rim thereof and be moved away from said rim to provide for the admission of air around said rim to furtherthe vaporization, and increase the minimum normal vacuum in the said nozzle, the carburetor also having annular inlets beyond the nozzle to admit air to deflect the air and. hydrocarbon toward the axis of said casing and complete the vaporization of the hydrocarbon and insure the utmost commingling thereof with air, to make an product.

8. In a carburetor, the combination of a casing having a sleeve valve therein with a coninflammable tracted discharge end, a flaring fuel nozzle'concentric with the contracted end of said valve, and means for controlling the movement of said valve to vary the position of said contracted end with respect to said nozzle, said means comprising a cam within said valve.

9. A carburetor having a casing with a bore therethrough, a deflector element in said bore, said element having a contracted passage therethrough and being spaced from the inner surface of the bore to provide an annular chamber surrounding said element, the chamber having an annular port at one end of said element to deliver into said bore, and a flaring fuel nozzle open to the air at both ends mounted in said casing.

10. .Apparatus for vaporizing liquid comprising a conduit having an air inlet andan outlet, a pipe for delivering liquid into the conduit, a mixing nozzle to receive said liquid as it is discharged from said pipe, said nozzle being open at both endsand presenting one end to the inlet and the other towards said outlet, and sloping bafiie membersof material width having central orifices, said members being spaced from one another, and being disposed at successive points in'the conduit between the mixing nozzle and said outlet, said members contracting towards said outlet, the members acting to concentrate the particles of air and liquid in successive stages and enable additional air to be supplied between said mem- 

